The invention relates to a reading device for an integrated circuit card comprising a frame with a holding space for the integrated circuit card into which the integrated circuit card can be inserted through an inlet opening in an insertion direction into a reading or scanning position, comprising a slide which is adjustably guided over the frame substantially parallel to the insertion direction between a rest position and an operational position and is loaded by at least one spring against the insertion direction, which is moved from its rest position into its operational position upon the insertion of an integrated circuit card into its scanning position, and upon whose movement from its operational position into its rest position the integrated circuit card is moved from its scanning position against the insertion direction, and comprising a manual control which can be operated in the insertion direction and upon whose actuation the slide is shifted from its operational position into its rest position.
Such a reading or scanning device for an integrated circuit card is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,310. In this known scanning device, the slide, which is constructed as a frame, lies closer to the inlet opening for the insertion and retrieval of an integrated circuit card in its rest position than in its operational position, in which it lies further away from the inlet opening. Upon the insertion of an integrated circuit card into the scanning device, the integrated circuit card hits against a rim projecting from the slide after slightly more than half the insertion path, after which, when the integrated circuit card is inserted further, the slide is shifted by the integrated circuit card acting on the said rim against the force of the spring loading the slide in the insertion direction of the integrated circuit card from its rest position towards its operational position. During this, the slide hits against an L-shaped, also spring-loaded control lever and carries the latter along, so that then, when the integrated circuit card is still further inserted, the force of the spring loading the L-shaped control lever is also to be overcome. In this known scanning device, an unloaded, smooth insertion of the integrated circuit card is possible only during approximately the first half of the insertion movement of the integrated circuit card, therefore, whereas during the remaining insertion movement the insertion of the integrated circuit card takes place against the force of the spring loading the slide and, subsequently, also against the additional force of the spring loading the L-shaped control lever, so that already after slightly more than half the insertion movement the insertion becomes comparatively heavy, which heaviness is even increased further towards the end of the insertion. This is felt to be unpleasant and inconvenient by many users of this known scanning device. In addition, the spring forces working against the insertion may also lead to a comparatively strong mechanical load on an integrated circuit card to be inserted.
The manual control which is constructed as a pushbutton can be actuated by a user in order to take out an integrated circuit card from the scanning device after completion of a scanning cycle in the known scanning device according to said U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,310. The pushbutton is thereby separately retained in the frame with adjustment possibility and cooperates with a locking lever which, when the pushbutton is actuated, releases a control slide which is then moved into an end position by a torsion spring with two legs which at one side grips the slide, and at the other side grips the said L-shaped, also spring-loaded control lever which cooperates with the slide, whereby the control slide swivels two locking bars provided for gripping behind an integrated circuit card positioned in its scanning position into a release position in which the locking bars release the integrated circuit card, so that the integrated circuit card is shifted from its scanning position by the rim of the slide under the force of the spring acting on the slide. As a result, the integrated circuit card is ejected from the scanning device through the inlet opening so far that it can be gripped and pulled from the scanning device by hand. As is apparent from the above description, the manual control constructed as a pushbutton is actuated, the ejection of the integrated circuit card from the scanning device is achieved. Such a complicated mechanism, however, makes the scanning device more expensive, more liable to break down, and shortens its operational life.